神佛授法與生命轉化：花蓮的研究案例=The Mythical Experience in Spiritual Guiding by Gods and Deities with Relation to Life Transformation: Based on the Research Cases in Hualien
Recently many sincere believers of folk religion in Taiwan claim that they can communicate with gods or deities and they have received teaching by gods or deities. This phenomenon of direct communication with gods or deities is specified by no need of traditional shamans ( like tang–ki ) or other kind of spirit mediums if anyone searches for ritual helps. These religious people maybe called as tong–ling–jen（通靈人） or ling–chi（靈乩）, or they may call themselves as sho–dao–jen（修道人）. Direct communication with and taught by gods or deities is a kind core and inner religious experiences, although it is getting popular in Taiwan, it remains as rare experiences which ordinary people may never have. Hualien is the last pure land in Taiwan. Many religious people like to come here for spiritual elevation. Because I have a teaching job in Hualien, many of my interviewees are resided in Hualien. It is aimed in this article that the mythical experiences of these religious people can be understood by examining my five interviewees in Hualien. I also intend to explore how their personal life has been influenced by their special and close encounter with gods or deities. Among five cases, four of them are the owner of private shrines. The reasons and situations of their contact with gods or deities are different individually, yet most of them have strong character in helping with others. Two of them have strong intention to transmit their magical and healing power to others. Generally speaking, they tend to have some difficulties or problems at certain period of their life, such as marriage problem, career problem, or health problem, it is usually the critical time that they have encountered with gods or deities and experienced the magical power from gods or deities. It is often the case that they would have passed some period of mental struggle until they have definitely decided to become the disciple of their god or deity. Then, they would begin to take lessons, instructions, and revelations from gods or deities, usually they also receive orders and tasks from gods or deities, and concern these orders and tasks as their “heavenly mission.” By doing so, they not only get out their difficulties in their personal life, they can also help with others by the ritual methods or magical power they have learned from gods or deities.
